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World of Ulysses S. Grant

After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant became the most popular American alive. He symbolized the Federal victory, the destruction of slavery, and the preservation of the Union. Grant remained a popular topic among historians who have written about those years, but over time scholars and the public removed Grant from his place in the pantheon of leading Americans. As the decades passed and attitudes toward the Civil War and war in general changed, the public’s perception of Grant devolved: no longer a national idol, Grant was instead written off as a heartless general and corrupt president. In the early part of the twenty-first century, however, Grant’s place in history is being reinterpreted. Now he is increasingly seen as a success on the battlefield, a leading proponent of African American civil rights, and the first of the modern American presidents.

To further our understanding of Ulysses S. Grant through a close analysis of his life and work, this innovative book series provides a thorough examination of particular events and periods of Grant’s life to present important insights into his generalship, presidency, influence, and reputation. Books in the series explore Grant’s character as well as his role in American history. By delving into the deeper detail and context of what Grant did and saw, this series breaks new ground and provides the historical profession and the general reading public with accurate, readable perspectives showing Grant’s significant contributions to the world he lived in and to the years that followed.

Timothy B. Smith, who served for six years as a park ranger at Shiloh National Military Park, teaches history at the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is the author or editor of more than fifteen books, including Grant Invades Tennessee: The 1862 Battles for Forts Henry and Donaldson; Corinth 1862: Siege, Battle, Occupation; Shiloh: Conquer or Perish; The Golden Age of Battlefield Preservation; and Mississippi in the Civil War: The Home Front.